Elimination of the cumulative effect of expansion and contraction in knitting machines and the like



Sept. 5,- 1944. SCHMIDT ELIMINATION OF THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OFEXPANSION AND CONTRACTION IN KNITTING MACHINES AND THE LIKE- Flled Jan11 1941 INVENTOR I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,RvaZ Schmidfi BY ATTORNEY.

Sept. 5, 1944. P. SCHMIDT 2,357,351

ELIMINATION OF THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION INKNITTING MACHINES AND TH IKE led Jan. ll,

Fi 1941 Sheets-Sheet 2 F a-Q45;

, i9 27 1 55 g Z6 3 1 f, if 5 0 INVENTORZ ATTORN EY.

Patented Sept. 5, 1944 ELIIVIINATION OF THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OFEXPANSION AND CONTRACTION IN KNITTING MACHINES AND THE LIKE PaulSchmidt, Wytheville, Va., assignor to Textile, Machine Works,Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 11,1941, Serial No. 374,032.

25 Claims. (01. 66-82) This invention relates to straight knittingmachines like machines having elements,'such as sinkers, knockover bitsand needles cooperating in use andywhose coaction is apt to be impairedby relative displacement of their supporting members; such as the centerbed and needle bars and more particularly to novel means for main,-

taining' cooperating knitting mechanisms or parts in the exact relativepositions in which they were initially set upon displacement of theirrespective supporting members relative to each other when. contracted orexpanded by variations in temperature.

Full-fashioned knitting machines have been made to include a relativelylarge number of knitting sections so as to obtain the utmost outa put ofwhich such machines are capable. At the same time, an increasingdifliculty has been experienced in maintaining the needles centralwithrespect to the spaces between the sinkers and dividers. It has beendetermined that the cau'se'ofthis difficulty is the expansion andcontractionof certain sectional longitudinal .membersnoi .the'machinewhen in use, notably the center-bed sections of the machines. Whenassembled, :the*-needles are carefully centered each .between a sinkerand divider.

When the machine is in operation, however, temperature variations maycause certain parts to expand or contract, so that' the assembledpositionof the parts is disturbed. For example, the sinker-heads aremounted on relatively long supporting members which aresubject toexpansion and contraction; and this causesdisplacement of thesinkers anddividers, relative to the needles. Th result of this relative movementis imperfect fabric loops, especially in the knitting sections nearerthe ends of the machines. I Y

It is an object of my invention toprovide means for avoiding theindicated and other similar-'difliculties. 1

Itz'is a further object of my invention to providewza n arrangement in afull-fashioned knittingimachinerwhereby expansion or contraction oftheecentere-bed'; sections does not materially afl'ect'aithe positionsof the sinker-heads.

Another reason why expansion or contraction of the sections of thecenter-bed, and sections of certain other. longitudinal members, havecaused trouble, "is-"that the effects are cumulative The expansion of'one section is transmitted to the next so that the displacement of thecenter-bed,

or other relatively long multiple section member increasesimthedirections toward the ends of It is a further object of my invention toprovidean arrangement whereby any variations in the length of one.center-bed section, or multiple section members, due to temperaturevariations,

.will not be transmitted to an adjacent section.

- With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent fromthe following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of myimprovements disclosed in the accompanying drawings, my inventionresides in the multisection knitting machine having the novel elements,features of construction and arrangement of parts in cooperativerelationship as herelnafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

An arrangement according to the invention comprises afull-fashioned.-multi-section knitting machine having spaces betweenadjacent sections of the center-bed and connections for uniting thecenter-bed sections in such a way that expansion of one section of thecenter-bed does not affect another.

A full-fashioned knitting machine within the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of saidmachine, parts being omitted and parts being broken away for purposes ofillustration;

Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scaleshowing a portion of Fig. 1including adjacent ends of two center-bed sections and the connectionsbetween them; I i

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig'.2; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In thedrawings and description, only the means necessary to a completeunderstanding of the invention have been specifically set forth; furtherinformation as to the construction and operation of other related, usualand well known knitting machine elements, mechanisms, etc., may be foundin one or more of the following publications.

1. Pamphlet entitledFull-Fashioned Knitting Machinespublished andcopyrighted by theTextile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsyl- Vania, in1920.

2. Thre catalogs on full-fashioned knitting machines, published andcopyrighted by the tween two of the needles 22.

which forms a supplement to the above noted 1940 Textile Machine WorksKnitting Machine Catalog, and which booklet is published and copyrightedby Textile Machine Works, in 1940.

4. Pamphlet entitledKnitting Machin Lecturespublished by the WyomissingPolytechnic Institute, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, in 1935.

In the machine shown in the drawings, Ill are heavy transverse framemembers at the ends of the machine, commonly called end frames, and

l I are heavy transverse frame members at spaced points intermediate theend frames I0, commonly called center frames. End and center frames land II respectively, carry the weight of the other parts of the machineand are heavy castings adapted to this purpose. End and center frames l0and" H are rigidly connected by longitudinal frame members one of whichis shown at l2 in Fig. 1. The end and center frames carry a cam shaft l3and a needle shaft ll, the latter supporting needle bars l5 by means ofarms or levers 20, shown in Fig. 1. Vertical and horizontal movementsare imparted to the needle bars I5 by the cam shaft l3 and cam leverconnections (not shown).

Supported on members In and II is also a center-bed [6 made in sectionsI! which are bolted as shown at I6 to the upper portions of frames [0and II and assist other longitudinal frame members in tying the end andcenter frames l0 and II together. Sections I! have sinker-heads I9 fixedthereon, one sinker-head to each knitting section. As best shown inFigs. 2 and 4, the sinker-head slidably carries sinkers 2i and dividers23 the sinkers and dividers being arranged, except as to the end sinkersin each bed, so as normally to lie each one midway be- The sinkers 2|are slurred forward by means of jacks 24, the jacks being operated by aslur cam 30 carried by a cock box 40 mounted for reciprocation on aguide bar 34. During the slurring movement of the sinkers 2| thefriction of the cock box 40 on the guide bar 34 is increased, therebycausing an increase in temperature in the guide bar. This increase intemperature is transmitted to the sections ll of the center-bed on whichthe sinkerhead I9, guide bar 34, the cock box 40 and other associatedparts are supported, thereby causing the center-bed sections to expand.In the standard full-fashioned knitting machine, the sections I! areplaced so as to abut each other, whereupon expansion of one of thecenter-bed sections I1 is transmitted directly to the adjoiningcenter-bed sections. v

The needle bars IS, on th contrary, are not subject in use to any actionwhich would raise materially their temperature and, consequently, thetemperature of the shaft I4 remains substantially at that of thesurrounding'atmosphere and does therefore not elongate as do the 1001:formed on the needles is noticeably lowere Similarly, where the knittingmachine is subjected to a temperature below that of the normal roomtemperature, the center-bed sections l1 contract from their assembledpositions,

In the machine shown in the drawing, means are provided whereby theexpansion or contraction of the individual sections ll of the centerbedare so compensated or neutralized that there is no material displacementof the sinker-heads 19. To this end, not only are the sections 11assembled initially with a space 25 between them but the center framesII have cast-in spaces or splits 26 one in'each member II andintermediate the bolts l8 by'which the member II is fastened to adjacentends of sections I! of the center-bed l6. Spaces 26 extend some distanceon each side of the center-bed l6 (Fig. 3) so that th portions onopposite sides of a space 26 may bend toward away from each other undercompression or tension before the unit stresses are higher than theordinary longitudinal members of the machine can withstand. However, aspertained in sufllcient degree.

center-bed sections. Therefore the needles 22 1 materially displacedfrom their proper positions midway of the needles and the quality of theIn the standard full-fashioned knitting machine, usual carrier rodbrackets 21 are secured to the center-bed l6 and where one of thebrackets 21 is positioned over the ends of adjacent sections ll, of thecenter-bed [6, the bracket 21 is secured to each of the adjacentsections as by bolts 28. Consequently, unless some means were adopted toprevent it, the thrust due to th expansion of one section I! would beimparted to the next section through the brackets 21 and the effectdesired from the spaces 26 thereby largely prevented. Therefore, I haveshown the brackets 21 as provided with slits 29 running upward fromtheir lower edges to a point above the upper edge of center-bed'IG andin alignment with the spaces 25.

Similarly, sections ll of center-bed I6 have bracket arms 3|, best shownin Fig. 3, which extend rearwardly from the vertical portion 32 of asection I! and which carry at their rear ends sections 33 of the guidebar 34 for the cock boxes 40. As hereinbefore set forth, the guide bar34 is subject to a large amount of friction, whereby its sections 33increase in temperature and expand, which action, in the usual machine,tends to displace the transverse frame members II in the same sense asthe expansion of the center-bed l6. Consequently, the connectionsbetween sections 33 would also transmit a cumulative thrust from onesection II of the centerher to the next if no precaution were taken toprevent it. Therefore, I have shown the ends of two adjacent sections 33as spaced at 35 (Fig. 4), in the same plane as a space 26; and screwsspaces 35 and 26. It will be seen that, due to spaces 26, 26, 29 and 36,each section I! of center-bed i6 and each section 33 of guide bar 34 isfree to expand individually from its center towards its ends and thereis no place along the machine at which a sinker-head I9 is displaced bytransmission of the expansion of one section IT or to another.

Preferably, the spaces or splits 26 in the center frame members H are ofsuch an extent as not. to interfere .with the free expanding andcontracting movements of the center-bed sections Of course, theimprovements specifically shown and described by which I obtain theabove results, can be changed and modified in various ways withoutdeparting from the invention here in disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A multi-section full-fashioned knittingmachine having transverseframe members having interior spaces permitting the members to yield toa force exerted there-against longitudinally of the machine, and alignedlongitudinal sections for supporting moving members of the machine andsubject to length variations, said sections connected to said members onopposite sides of said spaces and normally spaced to preventtransmission of the length variation of one section to the next.

2. .A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having transverseframe members and aligned longitudinal sections for supporting movingmembers of the machine and subject to length variations due tovariations in temper ature of moving parts of the machine in heatconductive relation thereto, said sections being connected to saidmembers with their ends. in spaced relation and said members being soformed asto yield to the variations in length of said sections.

3. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having alignedlongitudinal sections spaced at their adjacent ends to permit saidsections to vary in length, and supporting transverse frame members towhich the adjacent ends of said sections are attached, said framemembers having splits providing spaces intermediate their points ofattachment to said sections permitting compression of said members whensaid sections change length in response to operating temperatures.

4.- A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having alignedcenter-bed sections spaced at their adjacent ends to permit saidsections to vary in length, supporting transverse frame members to whichadjacent ends of said sections are attached, and brackets attacched toadjacent ends of different center-bed sections, said frames and saidbrackets both having splits intermediate their points of attachment tosaid sections.

5. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine havingalignedcenter-bed sections spaced at their adjacent ends to permit saidsections to vary in length, and supporting transverse frame membershaving internal splits in the planes of the spaces between saidsections.

6. A- multi-section full-fashionred knitting maat their adjacent ends topermit said sections to expand, transverse frame members for supportingsaid sections, and bracket members connected to said ends on oppositesides of the spaces therebetween and having splits extending betweensaid points of connection.

8. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having alignedcenter-bed sections spaced at their adiacent ends to permit saidsections to expand, transverse frame members for supporting saidsections and each connected to adjachine having aligned center-bedsections, transcent ends of two center-bed sections and having aninternal split intermediate the points of connection to said ends, andbracket members connected to said ends and each having splits extendingintermediate the points of connection to said ends.

9. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having transverseframe members, aligned center-bed sections connected to saidframe-members so that spaces are normally provided between the ends-ofadjacent sections, brackets so connected to said sections as to normallyprevent transmission of movement from one to the other, and alignedguide bar sections connected to said center-bed sections so that spacesare normally provided between the ends of adjacent sections of the guidebar, said members being so formed as to yield to the expansion andcontraction of said sections.

10. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting mavchine having transverseframe members and aligned longitudinal sections subject to' lengthvariations, said sections being connected to said members with theirends in spaced relation and said members being so formed as to yield tothe variation in length of said sections.

11. A multi-sectionfull-fashioned knitting machine having alignedlongitudinal sections spaced at their adjacent ends to permit saidsections to vary in length, and supporting transverse frame membershaving internal splits in the planes of the spaces between saidsections.

12. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having alignedlongitudinal sections, transverse frames having supports for connectionto adjacent ends of said sections, said section ends and supports beingspaced intermediate the points of connection of saidsection ends.

13. A multi-section straight knitting machine having transverse framemembers each provided with one or more yieldable parts, and one or morelongitudinally extending sectional frame elements subject to lengthvariation, said elements being connected to said yieldable parts in suchmanner that the latter move to the extent of variation in length of saidframe elements.

14. a mu'lti-section straight knitting machine having a transversemember provided with a plurality of yieldable parts and a longitudinallyex- I tending sectional frame element having sections directly connectedwith said yieldable parts, said member parts and element normallyimmovable in use except for thermally responsive changes.

. 15. A multi-section straight knittingmachine having transverse memberseach provided with integral yieldable parts, and a longitudinallyextending sectional frame means, sections of which are rigidly connectedwith said yieldable parts;

said member parts and means normally immovable in use except forthermally responsive changes. I 16. A member adapted for use as atransvers portion of the frame of a straight knitting machine and partlysplit to provide yieldable portions.

17. A member adapted for use as a transverse portion of the frame of astraight knitting machine and having an internal split to provideyieldability which is bridged by a plurality of parts of the member tolimit the amount of yield of portions thereof separated by the split.

18. In a multi-section straight knitting machine including a rigid frameof longitudinal and transverse frame members, two of said transverseframe members being relatively spaced to pro vide for only a set of twoknitting sections therebetween and a sinker head for each of said twoknitting sections supported from said rigid frame, the improvementcomprising a longitudinal machine element having its opposite endssupported by said two transverse frame members, said sinker heads andsaid longitudinal element immovable in use except for thermallyresponsive changes, needle bar means associated with said sinker headsand actuating means therefor, and means associated with saidlongitudinal machine element and said two transverse frame members forpromoting proper alignment between said sinker heads and said needle barmeans during knitting operations.

19. In a multi-section straight knitting machine including a rigid frameof longitudinal and transverse frame members, two of said transverseframe members being relatively spaced to provide foronly a set of twoknitting sections therebetween and a sinker head for each of said twoknitting sections supported from said rigid frame, the improvementcomprising a longitudinal machine element having its opposite endssupported by said two transverse frame members, said sinker heads andsaid longitudinal machine element immovable in use except for thermallyresponsive changes, needle'bar means associated with said sinker headsand actuating means therefor, and means associated with saidlongitudinal machine element and said transverse frames for promotingproper alignment between said sinker heads and said needle bar meansduring knitting operations.

20. In a multi-section straight knitting machine having transversesupporting frame members in general normally immovable in use, two

' of said transverse frame members being relatively spaced to providefor only a set of two knitting sections between each two adjacent framemembers and each knitting section including a sinker head, theimprovement comprising a, longitudinal machine member subject tothermally produced changes in length having sections the ends of two ofwhich rest'intitially in spaced relation to each other on one of saidtransverse frame members and move toward and away from each other inresponse to said changes but remain free of substantial motiontransmitting contact irrespective of changes in length produced bynormal operating and atmospheric conditions.

21. A multi-section straight knitting machine having transversesupporting frame members in general normally immovable in use and havingyieldable parts, certain of said transverse frame members being spacedto provide for only a set of two knitting sections therebetween and eachknitting section including a sinker head, a longitudinal machine membersubject to thermally produced changes in length having sections, theends of two of which rest on and are fixed to said yieldable parts onone of said transverse frame members in relatively movable relation toeach other, the sections on said one transverse frame member normallymaintaining said relatively movable relation so that one section of saidmachine member is free of any substantial effect from the expansion ofthe other.

22. In a multi-section straight knitting machine in combination,transverse supporting frame members in general normally immovable in useand having yieldable parts, certain of said transverse frame members'being relatively spaced to provide for only a'set of two knittingsections therebetween and each knitting section including a sinker head,a longitudinal machine member subject to thermally produced changes inlength having sections the ends of two of which rest on and are fixed tosaid yieldable parts in relatively movable relation on one of saidtransverse frame members, the said yieldable parts of a transverse framemember between knitting sections moving in opposite directions to eachother upon expansion and contraction of sections of said longitudinalmember connected thereto.

23. In a multi-section straight knitting'machine including a generallyrigid frame of longitudinal and transverse frame members, saidtransverse frame members being relatively spaced to provide for only aset of two knitting sections between two adjacent transverse framemembers and a sinker head for each of said two knitting sectionssupported from said rigid frame, the improvement comprising alongitudinal machine ,element having its opposite ends supported by saidtwo transverse frame members, said sinker heads and saidlongitudinalmachine element subject to thermally produced changes in use, needle barmeans associated with said sinker heads and actuating means therefor,and means machine having fabric forming mechanisms supported on agenerally stationary frame, the combination of transverse frame memberseach forming part of said frame provided with yieldable parts, andlongitudinally extending frame sections subject to length variation,said sections being connected to said yieldable parts in said mannerthat the latter move to the extent of vanation in length of said framesections, the adjacent ends of the sections moving in oppositedirections from each other.

' PAUL SCHMIDT.

